In Suriname, the Ministry of Regional Development, with technical assistance of and funding from the UNDP, implements a project in localizing the SDGs. The aim of the project is that SDGs are locally understood and adopted while communities and groups of society are strengthened and able to cast their voice related to their development goals. Local authorities are empowered to adequately identify community needs, advocate for greater accountability and leadership and manage the provision of services at the community level.

The project aims to contribute towards awareness and information sharing on the SDGs and gathering view and vision of the regional and local authorities, communities, groups/organizations of the Surinamese society, and individual on their role and contribution in achieving the SDGs

Localizing engages regional and local authorities, traditional leadership, communities, civil society organizations and individuals and gives opportunity to collect of geographic disaggregation of data, for example, urban/rural and regional breakdowns and where possible disaggregation at lower levels, such as data at the level of resorts or marginal areas.

In the efforts to reach the youth, a dedicated Information Education and Communication (IEC) material, a card game called “SDGs Quartet” was developed by the project team. Through the game the youth are getting acquainted with the 17 goals and understand the meaning of each goal in a playful manner. 

Sessions were held with school youths at the elementary and secondary level in the Capital, urban districts, and the interior including also school youth from both the Indigenous and Maroon tribal communities. Requests for more sessions are received from the schools and the youth themselves.  The project team plans to hold more of these sessions reaching youth at school, but also for young people in the various communities through the community centres.